Picture this. You're at a wedding and the blushing bride comes waltzing down the aisle wearing a gorgeous princess gown, flawless makeup and ... flat, limp hair. Can it GET more boring than that?
OK, maybe. That
is pretty dang dull. I totally know what you were thinking as she passed you. "I would NEVER attend my own wedding with that kind of formal hairstyle. Gross!" So instead, you imagine yourself wearing a sleek, fancy chignon with a loose, flowy dress. That's muuuch better, right?
Sorry to break it to ya, but that's just as bad as doing nothing to your hair at all. Just because your hair is pretty and your dress is pretty doesn't mean they go well together. Certain hairstyles were practically
made for a wedding dress, while others shout, "Look at me, I've got no sense of style!" Like wearing a denim jacket with jeans.
So 1990's. And since mistakes like this can ruin your entire wedding, you'll want to find the absolute perfect hairstyle for the dress you'll be wearing.
Guess what? I've already asked my hairstylist Becky from the Saks Hair and Beauty in Leamington Spa what that might look like for various wedding dress types. If you're smart, you'll take a look at these hairstyles even before you start shopping for your dress. You're bound to find the perfect wedding hairstyle from one of these celebs, including Kate Bosworth, Debra Messing, Thandie Newton, Lauren Conrad, Kim Kardashian, Jessica Simpson, Nicole Richie and Rachel Weisz.
Oh, and listen when
all of your friends say the hairstyle you love doesn't go with your gown. You don't want to be that girl who looks back at her pictures and wonders, "What was I thinking?!"
The Classic Gown
A classic wedding gown is perfect for a bride who wants to look traditional and elegant as she walks down the aisle. It's simple, with clean lines and not too much embroidery or embellishment. The necklines for this style typically follow the collarbone or show a bit more skin on top (think Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday,
so gorgeous). Becky says a bride who selects this dress type should wear her hair up and off of her face in a "classic way," like sweeping it into a simple bun or timeless French twist. She also recommends adding a hair accessory to your style to up the simplicity of the dress type. Just be sure to get opinions from your friends on whether an accessory looks good on you before deciding to wear it on your big day.
The Classic Gown: A sleek bun
Kate Bosworth's high, sleek bun lets your glowing face take center stage. "A bride has to remember that pictures start as soon as she gets ready and continue till the last dance and that there will be lots of hugs and touching," Becky says. Bosworth's style is polished and ladylike, and will stay in place flawlessly throughout the day and night -- perfect for pictures. If your dress doesn't have any crazy bling on it, try adding a jeweled clip to the side of the bun, or slip on a sparkly headband.
The Classic Gown: A French twist
Debra Messing's French twist will make you look elegant and royal out on the dance floor. Adding a bit of texture to the top of her hair and keeping the rest off of your neck also keeps it a bit modern. Just keep in mind: if your dress has a lot of sparkles or lace, go easy on the jewelery -- opt for simple diamond studs to keep the look classic and timeless.
The Romantic Gown
The romantic wedding gown is Shakespeare in dress form. It usually has flowy flourishes (like soft, billowing fabrics) and plenty of embellishment (like tulle and ruffles). The necklines, which usually include the strapless or scoop neck, tend to show some skin. So this dress is not for the faint of heart, as it will garner
all the attention. That's why Becky suggests keeping your hair simple. "The idea is to look dreamy, with hair loose or to choose a style that is soft and sweet," she advises. "Too much hairstyling can quickly take away from your dress," and if you've chosen a dress like this, you definitely don't want that to happen.
Romantic Gown: Flowy curls
Thandie Newton's messy curls are perfect for a romantic wedding dress, because they fall above the neckline and show off her pretty collarbone and bare shoulders. They're effortlessly gorgeous, and they draw your eyes straight to her bust line and dress. Becky says the most important thing is to be comfortable on your big day, and what's more comfy than choosing a style like this that you've probably worn many times before? The other great thing about choosing a style you wear often is that you can totally do it yourself! No more spending money on an expensive stylist.
Romantic Gown: Low side ponytail
Lauren Conrad's low side ponytail has "princess" written all over it. It's perfect for a bride who wants plenty of sugary-sweet romance on her big day, and fits the vibe of the romantic wedding dress perfectly. It's an easy style that will keep eyes below your neckline and draw immediate attention to the dress. If your hair is too short, try adding a ponytail extention.
The Modern Gown
A modern wedding dress is perfect for the chic, city gal who loves random, asymmetrical lines. They tend to have strong, plunging necklines or high necklines with lots of detail. The best hairstyles to wear with these dresses are ones that look simple, "even though they may NOT be, they are so clean that it at least
appears that way," Becky says. This allows the bride to play with different style eras and even mix them up, like coupling a retro hairstyle with a trendy gown. The best thing about a modern gown is that you can break
all the rules and even create your own. Just don't turn all Bridezilla on us, you hear?
The Modern Gown: A slicked-back hairstyle
Kim Kardashian's long, slick hairstyle is elegant and stylish, especially when paired with a graphic or complicated neckline. If your gown has tons of jewels or embroidery near the neckline, Becky says it's best to wear your hair off your face, to avoid distracting from the dress' detail. Keep your look modern by mixing old with new -- Kardashian's hair looks simply pinned half-up from the front point of view, but when you look at her hair from the side, you see a bundle of gorgeous, tousled hair.
The Modern Gown: A retro bouffant
Jessica Simpson's retro-inspired bouffant takes it from 60's to today when it's coupled with a modern dress with a detailed neckline. Adding height to your hair is important -- it lengthens your neck, elongates your body and makes sure your head doesn't get totally swallowed by the dress. And because teasing your hair means TONS of hairspray, Becky suggests you have your maid of honor carry around a little "emergency" kit that includes a travel-sized bottle of hairspray and lots of bobby pins.
The Bohemian Casual Gown
Want the perfect beachside wedding? You've
got to wear a flowy, ethereal gown with soft lines and sweet details. With the casual dress, you can usually wear flip flops (awesome, right?) and soft, natural-looking hair. The different variations for these hippy-like dresses include spaghetti straps with an empire waist or a slim-fitting silhouette with a loose v-neck. Becky says light, pretty waves or loose updos are the perfect laidback look to match the feel of this type of gown.
The Bohemian Casual Gown: Tousled waves
Nicole Richie's long, tousled waves are
so bohemian-chic, and they look relaxed and gorgeous with a deep v-neck dress. Becky says hair that looks "earthy" and free-flowing like Richie's is perfect for a bride who wants to look natural on her wedding day.
The Bohemian Casual Gown: A faux bob
Rachel Weisz's messy faux bob is so carefree and fun, perfect if you want to casually show off your shoulders. It's so sexy and refreshing to see loose layers that fall just below the chin, and this also draws attention first to your collarbones and then down to your dress. Try parting your hair to the side for a flirty vibe, or down the middle if you want to keep it casual. You can also pair this look with a sparkly necklace to make your casual gown a bit more elegant.
And that is really the low-down on choosing the two most important elements of your big day. Make sure that your gown and hair match and that it also ties in with your theme. For example, you can't go 'retro' when you have a 'modern' gown...it would look slightly out of place.
Hope that you found this guide helpful ;-)
xoxo,
Angelique
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